Note to the reader: These next several posts are designed to present a cultural, historical and theological study of Jesus Christ and the facts behind the crucifixion. In yesterday's post we considered Matthew's Gospel Identity of Jesus as King and Lord. I have chosen to present this material partly in response to the History Channel's recent series: "Bible Secrets Revealed" and partly to give the readers of this blog a chance to see what the Four Gospels truly say about Jesus Christ.
This particular series of blogs are more concerned with explaining the contents and validity of the four Gospel accounts, with today's post featuring Mark's Gospel Identity of Jesus as the King whom came to serve and be a ransom.
CONCERNING THE RECORDS OF JESUS’ LIFE AS A MEANS OF TYING TOGETHER THE OLD TESTAMENT RECORD
Lesson
Two: Mark’s Gospel’s identity of Jesus – The servant, King over the Kingdom
1. Mark’s gospel
gives more of a fast paced and high powered look at the miracles and power of
Jesus. He casts out demons, raises the
dead and heals sicknesses, demonstrating that by His arrival the very presence
of God has ushered in the beginning of the closing of human history.
2. The picture of
Isaiah’s servant in chapters 42-57 of his book discuss and progressively reveal
as mysterious figure who would bring the light of hope to the very land Jesus
was preaching and who would act as God and for God in bringing about healing,
deliverance and forgiveness of sins.
3. Mark’s writing
focuses more intently on what is called “The Kingdom of God”. With Matthew, the Kingdom of God is spoken
about in terms of its purpose and nature, while with Mark’s writing it is
spoken of in terms of its presence and nearness.[1]
4. So what exactly
is meant by the idea of God’s kingdom?
a).
Having a Kingdom implies that God has personal involvement in the affairs of
this world. He did not just make this
world and leave it to run like a clock.
b).
Kingdom implies that there is a specific domain, wherein we are the objects and
God is the supreme Subject.
c).
Jesus in both Matthew and Mark teaches that the Kingdom is not of this world,
and that in order to be a true citizen or partaker of it, one must “repent and
come to a knowledge of the truth (Mark 1:15) – i.e it is (for now) primarily spiritual in nature. The day of course will come when Jesus returns and the Kingdom unseen now will become completely manifest and Christ Himself will reign on this planet for 1,000 years. (Mark 13 & Revelation 20)
d).
Having a Kingdom means that God has a representative that shares both His
nature in having the authority to rule and reign over everything as well as a
human nature in being able to relate to the subjects of the kingdom. Jesus Christ reveals that He has been given
authority over all things (Matthew 28:16) and that He is the Servant having the
humanity to relate to those who choose to partake of this kingdom (Mark 10:45).
5. In Mark 10:45 we see what many consider the key verse of Mark's Gospel: "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
6. According to
church history, Mark recorded under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the
collection of Peter’s sermons on the life of Jesus as Peter himself, under the
revelation of God, dictated it to Mark.[2]
Questions:
1. Can God, being
holy and infinite, come down to us as He is? Why or why not?
2. Does God’s
setting up of a mediating structure such as His kingdom speak more to His
desire to be with us, our inability to come to Him on basis of our good deeds,
or both? Explain your answer.
Endnotes:
[1] That
there is a link between Matthew’s gospel, Mark’s Gospel and Luke’s Gospel is no
accident. Though each was an independent
effort in recounting Jesus life under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
Matthew’s gospel is believed to have been the first one written. Mark, taking dictation from the apostle
Peter, would had most likely had a copy of Matthew to use as a guide to
corroborate what Peter was saying. Then
Luke would had used these resources along with what God spoke through the mouth
of the Apostle Paul in writing His gospel.
This process by which the first three gospels came about is what is
referred to as the synoptic problem. For
further discussion on this issues, the reader can consult David Alan Black’s
“Why the Four Gospels”, as well as Merrill Tenny’s “Survey of the New
Testament”.
[2] David Alan Black. Why Four Gospels – The
Historical Origins of the gospels. Kregel. Grand Rapids. 2001. Page 77. This is a common pattern in the Bible for God
to speak His words or thought through the mouth of the prophet or apostle, and
in turn have a scribe write them down (compare the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch;
Apostle Peter and Silvanus)
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